ARIANA Grande has channelled ’90s cult classic First Wives Club for the first performance of her headline-making new single, Thank U, Next.

The singer has been in and out of high-profile relationships over the past few years — most recently a very public, very brief engagement to SNL comedian Pete Davidson — and openly references her love troubles in the song, referencing several of her famous exes by name.

It was only fitting, then, that she channelled the 1996 film about women recovering from breakups for the song’s first televised performance, on The Ellen Show.

Grande — who had posted on her Instagram Stories earlier this week that she was watching the film — took inspiration from the final, iconic scene, which sees stars Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn, resplendent in white suits, belting out Lesley Gore’s anthem to self-empowerment, You Don’t Own Me.

Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in The First Wives Club.Source:News Limited

Flanked by two back-up singers, Grande perfectly replicated the look — but her homage nearly went pear-shaped a minute into the performance when she almost took a nasty tumble in her heeled boots while dismounting a chair.

Grande appeared to have tears in her eyes elsewhere during the performance of what may well be her most personal song to date.

Ariana appeared to get teary during the performance.Source:Supplied

Released only three months after her last album, Thank U, Next has been a breakout hit for Grande, and looks set to land her her first-ever number one single on the US charts next week. And here’s that first verse that has everybody talking — with references to exes Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, Pete Davidson and Malcolm ‘Mac’ Miller, who died of an accidental overdose in September: